The present invention relates to needle removal devices for syringes and other holders and pertains particularly to an improved extractor for quick and easy removal of needles from holders.
A huge volume of hypodermic needles are used daily in the medical and health care industry and must be disposed of safely. These used needles pose a major health problem to the medical personnel using them as well as others who may come into contact with them. The safe and effective disposal of these hypodermic needles poses one of the greatest health and disposal problems for the medical and health care industry.
Hypodermic needles are widely used for both injection of medication and for withdrawing blood samples for diagnostic purposes. In many cases the needle is removed from the holder and separately disposed of. In some cases, particularly certain blood drawing devices, the holder is reused. In these cases, it is essential that the needle be easily, quickly and safely removed without risk to the user.
The present common technique of drawing blood samples is by means of an evacuated tube and holder combination such as that sold under the trademark VACUTAINER by the Becton Dickinson Company. These blood collection assemblies comprise a tubular holder or barrel having a double needle on one end and receives an evacuated tubular chamber. The needle is threadably mounted on one end of the tubular holder with an exterior needle for penetrating the patient tissue for receiving blood. The interior needle is covered with a sheath valve and penetrates an elastomeric stopper in one end of a vacuum tube to draw the blood.
Many devices have been proposed in the past for removal and disposal of the needles. Examples of these are disclosed in the following patents:
______________________________________ Shillington 4,667,821 Shillington 4,984,686 Thead et al. 4,986,811 Sagstetter et al. 5,086,922 Sagstetter et al. 5,092,462 Shillington 5,249,680 ______________________________________
These prior art devices are generally effective to remove the needles. However, they all have various drawbacks for example, most of them require the use of both hands.
It is desirable that a simple, safe and effective quick release needle holder for hypodermic needles be available.